


Five Times Mei-Ling Zhou Learned Something About Angela Ziegler, and One Time Angela Learned Something About Her

by bzarcher



Category: Overwatch (Video Game)
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, F/F, First Meetings, Fluff and Angst, Making up for lost time, Post-Recall, Pre-Fall of Overwatch, Regrets, Semi-Epistolary, Slow Burn, Snow Angels, meet cutes, science dorks, time jumps
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-07
Updated: 2018-10-07
Packaged: 2019-07-27 10:23:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,571
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16217072
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bzarcher/pseuds/bzarcher
Summary: From her arrival at Overwatch HQ to interview for the EcoPoint program to her return to Watchpoint: Gibraltar to join the recall, Mei-Ling kept finding new things to learn, and many of them were about the chief medical officer...





	Five Times Mei-Ling Zhou Learned Something About Angela Ziegler, and One Time Angela Learned Something About Her

_August 10th, 2064_

 

Mei frowned as she tried to navigate the corridors of Overwatch headquarters, the bright orange VISITOR badge pinned to the breast of her blouse making her feel terribly conspicuous.

_They said the medical department was in the East wing, didn’t they? I thought I went the right way, but I haven’t seen anything!_

There were maps at the intersections of major corridors, but everything seemed to be covered in abbreviations instead of easy to read labels.

She’d decided to aim for “MD/CMO” because it seemed like a good bet, but now she was (she thought) in the right area, and nothing seemed to match.

She’d finally reached another cross corridor, but this one lacked a map - and the intersecting corridor was marked “RESTRICTED ACCESS” on either side.

“Oh, no…” Mei rubbed at her forehead as she turned back and forth, trying to figure out what to do. Had she gone too far? Not far enough? Why hadn’t someone just _escorted_ her? She didn’t want to get arrested!

She’d been about ready to try turning around and walking back until she could find one of the maps when a hand lightly tapped her shoulder, making her jump with a squeak.

“Oh! I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to startle you!” A tall blonde woman in a lab coat had come up behind her in the corridor, her hair tied in a loose ponytail. “You seemed lost.”

“I _am_ lost,” Mei admitted ruefully. “I was trying to find the medical department - I’m here for a physical as part of my candidate intake exam.”

“You’re actually nearly there,” the blonde said with a smile that made her feel less frazzled in an instant. “Would you like me to show you the rest of the way?”  
  
_“Please_ ,” Mei said with a sigh. “I’m afraid I’m going to be late!”

“I’m sure it will be fine. Here - just follow me!” The blonde lead her into the restricted access corridor, and to Mei’s relief there was no alarm or buzzer that sounded when she stepped over the red and white striped line.

“So - candidate intake,” the blonde said as they walked. “You’re here for the EcoPoint program, then?”

“Yes!” Despite her nerves, Mei smiled broadly. “I’ve been studying climatological change - particularly developments in the antarctic and arctic regions. This would be an incredible opportunity to gather research data!”

“It’s a fascinating project,” the blonde agreed. “I hope you’ll get your chance!” They arrived at a door with “MEDICAL” printed above the entrance in large blue letters. “So - here we are!”

Mei nodded, offering her hand. “Thank you so much! I’m very grateful for your help!” She blinked, a blush rising on her cheeks as she realized how rude she’d been. “I’m so sorry - I never got your name! I’m Mei. Mei-Ling Zhou!”

The blonde’s smile seemed to get just a bit brighter, and Mei wanted to curl up in it like a sunbeam. “Angela Ziegler. It’s lovely to meet you, Mei.”

Mei suddenly wanted to disappear through the floor. Maybe she could melt her way through the Earth’s core, and meet the team in Antarctica when they arrived. “Chief medical officer Angela Ziegler?”

Angela laughed warmly, and put a hand on her shoulder to usher her inside. “I told you that you wouldn’t have to worry about being late.”

“I guess not!”

_Wow_ , Mei thought as they went inside. _She really has a nice laugh._

* * *

_February 23rd, 2065_

 

“Congratulations, Dr. Zhou!”

Mei grinned as Angela Ziegler sat down across from her in the headquarters cafeteria. “Thank you, Dr. Ziegler!”

They shared a laugh, Mei’s visitor badge replaced by a staff badge that featured a green and black variation on the traditional Overwatch logo.

“Are you excited?”

Mei nodded. “I am! Though technically I don’t actually know where I’ll be posted yet.” She leaned in conspiratorially, and Angela grinned as she met her across the table. “I spent half my first paycheck on polar survival gear, so I’m almost certain they’ll send me to Madagascar!”

“Oh,” Angela whispered with a twinkle in her eye, “I don’t think you’ll end up there.”

Mei sat back, her eyebrows rising. “Really?”

Angela picked up her fork and began twirling a bit of pasta onto it, her voice turning a bit breezy. “I seem to recall you telling me about your work on antarctic climatology. It would be ridiculous to send you somewhere that your skills would go to waste.”

“Angela…” Mei narrowed her eyes behind her glasses, trying to get a read on the doctor. “You know something.”

“Team assignments don’t go out until this afternoon,” Angela said piously. “I’m sure that I wouldn’t be given that information unless I was consulted on the optimal team makeups, and asked to review the psychological compatibility profiles - particularly for the most remote and isolated EcoPoint postings.”

“You _do_ know something!” Mei put her bowl of soup and dumplings aside. “Can you tell me anything? _Please?_ I promise I’ll act surprised when they tell everyone. Really!”

Angela made a point of finishing her spaghetti, then checked the clock on the cafeteria wall before reaching into her coat. “Actually, I asked if I might be able to deliver this one myself.” She produced a sealed envelope from her inside pocket, and offered it across the table.

“You...you asked to deliver my assignment?” Mei blinked with surprise. “I’m not medical staff, though.”

“Well, no,” Angela agreed with a grin. “But I _do_ love surprising a friend with some good news.”

Mei’s fingers trembled as she took the envelope, barely able to contain her excitement as she tore the envelope open.

 

_Dr. Zhou,_

_It is our great pleasure to inform you that, after review of your work and qualifications, you have been assigned to EcoPoint: Antarctica, effective March 1st of this year._

_You will report to Captain Daniel MACREADY on February 26th, and the team will be transported via Orca to the staging base at McMurdo Field before final travel inland to the facility._

_Please prepare any scientific equipment and tools you may need while on site, in addition to the following required items:_

 

When Mei put the paper down, Angela was beaming at her.

“I think you invested that first paycheck quite wisely. Captain MacReady was very enthusiastic about ‘snagging’ you for his team.”

It probably wasn’t very dignified for Mei to shriek with joy and run around the table to wrap Overwatch’s chief medical officer in a delighted hug.

She did it anyway.

* * *

  _FROM: Angela Ziegler (_ [ _Ziegler.A@overwatch.un.gov_ ](mailto:Ziegler.A@overwatch.un.gov) _)  
_ _TO: Zhou Mei-Ling (_ [ _Zhou.M@Ecopoint.aq_ ](mailto:Zhou.M@Ecopoint.aq) _)_  
21-OCT-2065, 20:13:13 (GMT +1)

_SUBJ: Re: Field Test!_

 

_Mei,_

_Thank you for sending me the video of your new friend taking his first test flight! I know you’ve been working hard to refine the design for your climate drone, but I didn’t realize you’d given him a personality module! I think he’s rather cute, actually, and watching him ‘dance’ in front of the stereo was very entertaining! Have you decided on a name for him?_

_I have to admit that the anomaly you and Dr. Arrhenius discovered sounds fascinating, but a bit concerning. From what you’ve told me it sounds like you could be in real trouble if the storm systems forming around it begin to turn towards your position at the base. I know the cryopods are there for emergencies, but it’s a long way from any of the support bases - especially since the next supply flight isn’t scheduled until December!_

_I’m sorry if I sound like I’m worrying - I’m afraid quite a bit of my job lately has been looking at the worst case scenarios, particularly since Commander Morrison and some of the other senior staff have been at odds over what direction Overwatch needs to take._

_On to some good news: I’m delighted to tell you that my critical patient, Genji, was able to walk today! It’s been a challenging case, to say the least, and I am afraid he is still very angry about some of the measures we had to take to save his life, but I remind myself that we_ did _save it._

_Hopefully as he continues to heal and recover, he’ll come to see things the same way._

_I’m not sure how closely you’ve been following the news from Headquarters, but everyone is very excited about the new Slipstream aircraft we’ll be testing in a few weeks over in Gibraltar. I got to meet our test pilot today - a very charming young woman named Lena who is on loan to Overwatch from the RAF._

_She mentioned during her physical that she’s interested in the Ecopoint project, and I told her about some of the work you’ve shared with me. She was excited to hear about some of the developments there!_

_Perhaps the next time you rotate back to headquarters, we can invite her to lunch. I’m quite sure the two of you will hit it off._

_I miss seeing you around headquarters. Your video messages are quite entertaining to watch (where on EARTH did you get that mug?) but they’re not the same as hearing your laugh in person._

_Stiil, I can tell you’re having the time of your life. I envy you for getting to have such an amazing adventure!_

_Perhaps I should ask if I could take a sabbatical to visit the a few of the EcoPoint stations - I think I could use the vacation. :)_

_I’m looking forward to your next message,_  


_-Angela_

* * *

_February 16, 2076_

 

“My god. You haven’t aged a _day!”_

Mei looked up from the notes for her lecture and gasped at the woman standing in the door of her borrowed office. “Angela?! What are you doing in California?”

Angela was dressed in a casual outfit instead of the Valkyrie suit that she always seemed to be wearing when Mei caught her on television or in news articles, a light blue (but not, Mei noticed, _Overwatch_ blue) dress over black leggings, with a white belt cinched at her waist.

“Even I get a _few_ days off,” she said with a wink, and a moment later gave a soft ‘oof!’ as Mei wrapped her in a tight hug.

“It’s been so long - it’s so good to see you!” Mei had to stop herself from bouncing on her heels. “I’m sorry I haven’t kept in touch - there’s been so much that I’ve been trying to catch up on.”

Angela laughed as they broke apart, a hand lingering on Mei’s shoulder. “If I had ten years of unread mail, I think I would just burn it all and start over.”

Mei giggled as she rubbed at the side of her head. “I suppose I did, in some ways - most of my accounts were closed, and I haven’t gotten many of them back. So, I just did what I could, and started writing about my work again.”

“You’ve done a lot more than that,” Angela chided gently. “I’ve been reading your journal and the work you’ve published when I have time. You’re doing incredible work educating and calling attention to important issues!”

Mei couldn’t help the flutter in her stomach. Angela didn’t look ten years older, either. She could see a bit of it in the lines around her eyes and the way she carried herself, but the doctor was still pleasant, charming, and beautiful. Hearing her enthusiastic praise brought a fierce blush to her cheeks, and Mei wished she was wearing her parka. Being able to hide under the thick wool lined hood seemed like an excellent plan right now.

“That’s really kind, Angela. You must be so busy - I can’t imagine what it’s like for your right now.” Mei tried to ignore her burning cheeks. “I saw you were working with the relief efforts in Southeast Asia.”

Angela, nodded, her expression sobering. “Yes - and I’ll be off to Iraq soon. We’re trying to get some help from the government of Oasis, but…” Angela slumped a bit as she sighed. “I’m afraid they’re much more concerned with promoting their research efforts than ‘token humanitarian gestures’, as they put it.”

Mei frowned. “Who would say such a thing? That’s _terrible!”_

“An old colleague, I’m afraid.” Angela’s expression became distant, her gaze drifting towards the window. “She never did understand some of the choices I made. Or approve of them.”

“Well, _I_ approve of you trying to help as many people as you can,” Mei insisted as she started to pace back and forth. “That’s important - there’s nothing ‘token’ about saving lives at all!” She shook her head as she thought of the friends who she’d left back in Antarctica. “Helping people _matters_. That’s part of what makes our world worth fighting for!” A thought struck her, and she turned. “Speaking of…” She looked around, making sure they wouldn’t be overheard. “I saw Winston’s message. The Recall…”

Angela nodded, her shoulders slumping. “Ah. Yes...that.”

Mei’s eyebrows rose. “You don’t think it’s a good thing?”

“I don’t know,” Angela admitted. “Mei...you missed a lot of things while you were in stasis. Some of them very unpleasant.” She hugged herself, turning to face the window again. “Overwatch _was_ shut down for a reason. I sometimes wonder if I should have left earlier than I did.”   
  
“Because of the…” Mei looked down at her desk, flipping through one of her notebooks. “Blackwatch?”

“That’s one reason,” Angela said quietly, “but there were quite a few others. Including the decision to not investigate what happened at the EcoPoint.” She turned, an expression of regret on her face. “I filed a formal objection when Commander Morrison decided they couldn’t spare the resources for a recovery operation. Since you came back...since you told us what happened...I’ve often wondered if I should have done more.”

“Angela…” Mei walked to the window, and after a moment of hesitation, she reached out to take her hand. “You couldn’t have known. The anomaly was creating so much storm activity, especially through most of that season, that it could have been fatal for a team to investigate it! I don’t blame you at all...and as hard as it was to learn what happened, I don’t blame the Commander, either.” She squeezed Angela’s hand lightly, and smiled when Angela squeezed back. “They made the best decision they could. Maybe it was wrong...but we can’t live in the past. Just do the best that we can...and what we think is right.”

“I take it you’ll be answering the Recall, then?” To Mei’s relief, Angela didn’t seem angry about that.

“Actually,” Mei admitted sheepishly, “I already have. We decided that for right now, I can do the most good by spreading the word about my research, and the findings from the Ecopoint data we’ve been able to recover. But if he needs me…” She smiled. “Well. I figured out a few things, making my way out of the ice.”

This time, Angela was the one drawing her into a hug. “I don’t doubt it, but...please be careful, Mei.” To Mei’s surprise, there were tears in her eyes. “We got you back, after think you’d been gone for so long...I don’t think I could bear losing you again.”

“I’ll do my best,” Mei promised. “Don’t worry!”

Angela’s laugh sounded much wearier than Mei remembered. “I’m afraid I will...but I’ll try not to worry _too_ much.”

Mei decided she could live with that.

* * *

_May 18th, 2076_

 

“It’s a bit...ah...disused,” Winston rumbled as he lead Mei through the corridors of Watchpoint: Gibraltar, “but as we’ve gotten more responses to the recall, we’ve been able to clean up and reactivate more parts of the facility.”

Mei smiled as she followed, Snowball floating back and forth between them, occasionally dipping into an open door or a side corridor. “That’s wonderful! Is anyone else going to be staying here full time?”

“Lena, er, _Tracer_ , is alternating weeks between here and London,” Winston answered. “She’s close enough to be here quite quickly if there’s an emergency.” He gestured vaguely in the direction of the hangar where Mei had arrived. “Reinhardt Wilhelm and his ‘squire’, Brigitte Lindholm, will be here soon and are planning to use Gibraltar as a base of operations, too. Aside from them, we’re expecting a few others who will rotate in and out…” They turned a corner, and Winston gestured to an open door halfway down the hallway. “But I think you already know one of the other full time residents.”

Despite being involved with Overwatch for (technically) ten years, Mei had never actually seen Angela in her Valkyrie suit. Not in person, at least.

It took her a moment to connect the white clad woman who was literally floating next to a supply cabinet with her friend, to separate the golden wings and the glowing staff with the woman who’d laughed at her terrible jokes and loved to surprise her friends.

“Angela?” Winston knocked with surprising delicacy on the open door frame. “Did you need some help?”

“Mm?” Angela spun in midair, a box of something in her other hand. “Oh! No, thank you, Winston, I’m fine!” She drifted gently to the floor, the wings dimming as the armatures went flush against her back. “I needed to get this down from the top shelf of the cabinet and this was a bit safer than standing on a chair.” She set the box on a desk she’d obviously been using, then looked past Winston to see Mei standing there. “Ah! Hello there!”

Mei stood there for a few seconds before she realized Angela had been speaking to her, still a bit gobsmacked by her unexpected appearance, and the fact that she was _here_ . “H...ha.” She took a few steps forward, shaking herself as her brain caught up to reality. “I mean, Hi! Sorry, I just...I didn’t…I mean it’s _so good_ to see you!”

Winston cleared his throat. “Ah, I am sure the two of you have some things to catch up on. Angela, do you think you could bring Mei down to the kitchen later for dinner?”

“Of course,” Angela said with a dazzling smile.

“Well. I’m...going to just see if Athena needs me to do any more heavy lifting while we get ready for the others. Or maybe see if Lena needs a hand in the hangar. Or something.” He raised one hand in a wave. “I’ll see you both tonight!”

“Yes,” Mei said as she turned and gave Winston a friendly handshake. “Tonight! Yes! I’ll be looking forward to it!”

Winston made his way out, and Mei turned back to where Angela was smiling at her, not quite sure what to say.

Finally, she took a few steps forward, wishing she was in something nicer than her chunky boots and the old comfy clothes that she preferred for traveling.

“I thought you weren’t going to come back,” Mei said softly, and then winced at how she sounded. “Sorry, sorry, sorry! That was really rude, I’m so sorry!”

Angela laughed, and Mei noticed the wings of the suit actually responded, the hard light ‘feathers’ glowing a bit brighter in response to her mood. “It’s...honestly, my feelings are _still_ a bit complicated. But…” She stepped closer, and reached out to lightly touch the side of her face. “Someone told me that helping people matters.” She came a bit closer, and Mei found her hand resting against the side of Angela’s hip. “And that we have to do what we believe is right.”

Mei looked up into Angela’s eyes, losing herself in the shining blue. She couldn’t quite find the words to express how that made her feel, but she knew what she wanted to _do._

_I suppose, after that, it’s now or never!_

She needed to push herself up a bit on her toes to kiss Angela, but as the doctor leaned in to return the kiss, Mei decided that was quite acceptable.

“I’ve been waiting almost ten years for you to do that,” Angela admitted softly as they held each other.

Mei blushed. “You really could have _said_.”

“I...had planned to,” Angela admitted. “When I visited the Ecopoint. But...well.” She shook her head. “Things happened. And afterwards...I wasn’t sure if you’d still...if things would be the same.”

Mei hugged her again, then looked back into her eyes. “A lot of things changed,” she agreed. “But this? Never.”

They _did_ make it to dinner, where Mei finally got to really meet Lena, and chat a bit about her work. But it wasn’t long before Angela had lead her back to her quarters, and they did what they could to start catching up on almost ten years of missed chances.

They ended up cuddled together on the bunk. Angela’s hair down and making her look even more angelic.

Mei had left her glasses on the nightstand when she’d changed into her pyjamas, but she could still see everything that mattered.

“Did I ever tell you that your eyes are my favorite shade of blue?”

Angela shook her head, a beautiful blush rising on her cheeks. “I don’t think so.” She reached out to smooth a stray lock of hair, and then leaned in to kiss her again. “But I wouldn’t mind hearing more.”

Mei smiled happily as she snuggled in a bit closer. “That’s good, because I’ve got so much to tell you…”

**Author's Note:**

> This story was originally published for the [FemWatch](https://femwatchthezine.tumblr.com/) zine! Please check out the other authors and artists to support them, as well!


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